Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in aborted fetuses of goats in Chattogram, Bangladesh

Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that is responsible for the major cause of congenital diseases, abortion, and stillbirth in humans and farm animals. Primary infection in pregnant goats due to T. gondii leads to abortion and significant economic losses in the livestock industry. Moreover, very few studies have been performed for the identification of T. gondii from aborted fetuses of goats. The study was conducted for the molecular identification of Toxoplasma gondii from aborted fetuses of goats in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: Twenty aborted fetuses of goats were collected from 52 farms in the study area. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the B1 gene was performed, and a positive sample yield of 197 bp amplified DNA products consistent with T. gondii. Results: The overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis in the aborted fetus of goats was 35.0%. Heart muscle, liver, brain, and placenta showed positive PCR results. The risk factors related to the does age, presence of cats in farms, and aborted fetus age were found to be statistically significant (p